Swingin' at the Savoy

By: Norma Miller, Evette Jensen

Narrated by: Bettye Zoller Seitz

Dancer, award-winning choreographer, show producer, stand-up comedienne, TV/film actress, and author, Norma Miller shares her touching historical memoir of Harlem's legendary Savoy Ballroom and the phenomenal music and dance craze that "spread the power of Swing across the world like Wildfire".

It was a time when the music was Swing, and Harlem was king. Renowned as "the world's most beautiful ballroom" and the largest, most elegant in Harlem, the Savoy was the only ballroom not segregated when it opened in 1926. The Savoy hosted the best bands and attracted the best dancers by offering the challenge of fierce competition.

White people traveled uptown to learn exciting new dance styles. A dance contest winner by 14, Norma Miller became a member of Herbert White's world-famous Lindy Hoppers and a celebrated Savoy Ballroom Lindy Hop champion. Swingin' at the Savoy chronicles a significant period in American cultural history and race relations, as it glorifies the popularized home of the Lindy Hop, and the birthplace of such memorable dance fads as the Big Apple, Shag, Truckin', Peckin', Susie Q, Charleston, Peabody, Black Bottom, Cake Walk, Boogie Woogie, Shimmy, and tap dancing.

Miller shares fascinating anecdotes about her youthful encounters with many of the greatest jazz legends in music history including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Ethel Waters, and even boxer Joe Louis.

©1996 Norma Miller (P)2014 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A refreshing look at the history of swing dancing is Swingin' at the Savoy.... Miller has not only created an entertaining history of swing, but more importantly, gives the reader a sense of the personalities of people and places most have only heard of. The book is unique as a humorous autobiography, full of youthful antics and charm." (Lance Benishek, Dancing USA)

"This is an important book, bringing some much-overdue attention to the swing dancers who along with the musicians defined the era." (Robert Tate, Jazz Now)

Great book, awful narrator

As a dancer it’s amazing to get to hear Norma Miller’s story through her own words! Unfortunately the narrator is not a good fit - sometimes it sounds like she is trying to get the words out as quickly as possible and it makes for an incoherent listening experience.

Nice history - suffered through the narration

Interested in hearing the stories of development of the Lindy Hop, but if I wasn’t very interested in the topic I would have never finished. Besides the narrator being a little jarring there was little to no editing. There are several points where she makes a mistake (anyone would I’m not faulting her for that) but they didn’t edit it out, she starts over. This didn’t happen often but it speaks to the lack of care taken with putting the recording together. In comparison the Frankie Manning book was done much more professionally. I’d love to see this re-recorded.

Fascinating story, terrible reader

What did you like best about this story?

The story was fantastic. Lots of interesting details about the origins of swing and its evolution. Absolutely fantastic.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Bettye Zoller Seitz?

I have no idea if the problem was her or the production staff, but every 30-60 seconds you could hear another voice cut in, as though the original recording was poor and needed to be fixed. It was extremely disruptive to be listening to the book and then all of a sudden to hear a different voice cut in on part of a sentence.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The book itself is fantastic, its the reader and/or production staff that was terrible.

Any additional comments?

If the production quality is that poor that you have to have someone else come in with a voice-over every minute or so, perhaps you should redo the entire recording or hire a different reader. So obnoxious!

Glad to revisit the story of the Queen of Swing!

Norma was such a fierce dancer! Happy to have had the opportunity to take her classes, listen her speeches about the swing era and see others keeping her legacy !
This book is a gem !

Amazing story, great author (terrible narrator)

Norma paints a vivid and beautiful picture of life for a young black artist in the early 20th century!